Before Akira Kurosawa came to be known for his largely popular Seven Samurai and Rashomon, there was The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail. One of the first films to be directed by Kurosawa, Tiger’s Tail, released in 1945, tells the story of a famed general on the run after his brother puts out an order to have him killed. Along with five trusty samurai (one of which is a young Takashi Shimura, a Kurosawa-regular) as well as a cunning bodyguard, the seven go on the run, disguised as wandering priests. More »

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Whoever said being late to the party is a bad thing? Whether it’s a dress-up/dress-down dinner party, birthday party, or even bachelor party, being a tad bit tardy has its advantages. Dodging that uncivil ex or avoiding petty small talk are just some of the benefits you too can enjoy. Besides all of that though, having an enormous library to choose from and some seriously discounted prices are big bonuses too.

Wait, what? I’m of course talking about arriving late to the Playstation 2 party. OK, so it’s not a party per say but with this year marking the ten year anniversary of everyone’s favorite little black box, we here at Rekuru are getting that party started right. All year, you can look forward to the the return of Plusle and Minun reviews which will be covering the many games of the PS2. Along with that, this upcoming October will mark the Month of the Playstation 2 with all month coverage on the system. So, with all of that said and done, I’m kicking the party off with the first edition of Plusle and Minun reviews for 2010 in celebration of our Akira Kurosawa month. Enjoy. More »

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With a new decade upon us, I decided it better time than any to look to the future and see what it holds for the land of the rising sun. Some like to look at what tomorrow or the next year will bring. I, on the other hand, like to look to the far future much like a certain late night talk show host. So, without further ado, I think it’s time we look into the future. That’s right, all the way to the year 3000… More »

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It’s that time again bento boxers. This week saw the kickoff of two Rekuru specials, the Akira Kurosawa Tribute Month as well as our New Year’s Resolution Week so if you haven’t checked them out, do so. Between a classic film review and a hoard of new year’s resolutions, there’s plenty of good readin’ to be had. Also of note this week was the next entry in Jacob’s continuing Japanese travel guide as well as a look at Japanese music group SMAP’s NYC filmed commercials and news on the unemployment crisis in Japan. That’s it for this week, see you next Sunday. XOXO More »

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After moderate success with their last console the Gamecube, Nintendo seems to have hit the their stride this generation. With their “gaming is for everyone” approach, Nintendo’s changed the face of video games forever and has even managed to woo the Holy Grail of demographics - EVERYONE. Whether it’s your little brother or your great grandmother Ethel, there’s no age group that hasn’t been caught up in the wii-mote waggling madness of Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and the like.

But that’s not to say Nintendo is doing everything right. There’s always room for improvement and with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of 5 things the big N can do to maximize their success this new year. More »

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I’m not one to make new year’s resolutions. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I’ve made one. So when the new year’s resolution special reared its ugly little head on the Rekuru calendar, I was stumped. More »

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A new year/decade is upon us and with it, the chance for another swing at that one new year’s resolution that got away in ‘09. Along with the cavalcade of resolutions to work out more, get out of debt, or travel, we here at Rekuru are doing a little inner reflecting ourselves. More »

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If you thought swine flu was last year’s news, think again… More »

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Fresh to the Tokyo police force Murakami (longtime Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune) is not having a good day. Besides having his gun stolen on a crowded bus, his police-issued firearm is now being used by a criminal for robberies and worse. What’s a guy to do? Well, take to the hot summer streets and do some detective work for one. More »

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This week was a busy week here at Rekuru with 2009 drawing to a close and countless End of the Year Specials across Rekuru and its sister-sites. With posts ranging from the 10 best DS games of the year, to a 2010 wishlist, to even a look back at Japan this past year, this was a trip down memory lane you don’t want to miss. Also worth mentioning was the announcement of Akira Kurosawa month which is guaranteed to be amazing. Just saying. More »

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